Boys Aside
by artlessICTOAN
Summary: It was all wrong, wrong, wrong. That hair was far too light, it didn't shimmer under the moonlight like it should; the skin was darker than the image she had in her head and much too smooth, too flawless by far; her clothes were too tight, showing off the slender waist that should be plump, the scrawny, weak arms that should be brawny and powerful. Pre-InoHina, pining, canon-verse.


day 2 of femslash week (anbu), this is a teensy bit different for me, but i liked how it turned out (title is from a soyfa wang song, it's not actually that related to the fic i was just struggling and it could kiiiinda fit with some themes if you stretch a bit.. yall should go listen to the song though it's good wlw shit) enjoy!

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It was all wrong, wrong, _wrong_.

That hair was far too light, it didn't shimmer under the moonlight like it should; the skin was darker than the image she had in her head and much too smooth, too flawless by far; her clothes were too tight, showing off the slender waist that should be plump, the scrawny, weak arms that should be brawny and powerful.

And the eyes, deep, chocolatey brown, beautiful in their own right, but still _wrong_. They were too narrow, lashes not long enough, they didn't speak of withheld emotions, glittering just below the surface.

Ino's grip on the roof's edge tightened, threatening to break the terracotta if she didn't reign herself in soon. When the woman – _wrong_ – sidled up closer to the tall, rugged man – _wrong_ – and pressed into his arm – _wrong_ – she heard the slightest crack. She immediately pulled her cheek in and bit down as hard as she could, letting the pain and bitter taste of blood centre her, remind her of the cover that she absolutely could not blow, for Hinata's sake more than her own.

It didn't make watching the woman she loved cosying up to an A-ranked criminal any easier, even with her henge cloaking her identity well enough that she could almost pretend it was someone else. She couldn't even indulge in the fantasy of leaping down there and ripping his throat out with her bare hands, not while she was on guard duty.

A high-pitched giggle drifted up to her and _fuck_ she wished she could just look away, not have to see that grubby, disgusting hand circle around Hinata's too-thin waist and pull her in closer. His fingers drifted down to her hips, gripping tight enough to leave indents in her not-right skin.

Much more of this and she'd bite straight through her cheek, but she doesn't dare unclench her jaw.

Hinata smiled – a small, sly thing – just before she disappeared behind the hulking form, away from Ino's burning eyes. Fine, delicate hands, more suited to long days of doing nothing more strenuous than lifting the pages of a book – nothing like the strong, scarred hands that she would grab at any opportunity, the ones that would leave her shaking whenever they casually brushed against her skin – snaked across broad shoulders, trailing up his neck.

She didn't want to know what was happening outside of her vision, but when two fingers of each flawless hand curled inward, leaving four fingers forming a diamond against the man's neck, she no longer had to just sit back agonising about it.

The seal was ready within seconds and aimed squarely at the oblivious criminal. When her mind connected with his, Ino took vindictive joy in the flair of panic and confusion that consumed him, before enveloping him completely and shoving his consciousness into the darkest corners of his own mind.

She even dug up some old nightmares from his most deeply buried memories to keep him company.

Blinking as she adjusted to her new body, she glanced down to the woman still in her – _his_ – arms. "It's me," she said softly, wincing at the hoarse croak that came out of her – _his_ – mouth, drinking in the relief that passed across her partner's face before it was quickly replaced with the smirk that didn't sit right with Ino at all.

"You have the location?" Hinata didn't pull away, but then, neither had Ino. She tried to pretend that it was because they still had a cover to uphold and not because she wanted to take advantage of this opportunity for as long as possible, imperfect as it was.

Nodding, she gripped a little tighter at bony hips, hating herself for being so greedy and pathetic, even as she muttered, "Five blocks north-east of here; he's expecting trouble."

With a sigh, Hinata finally stepped back, letting long, soft fingers trail from her – _his_ – skin in a way that to anyone watching would probably look teasing, but Ino couldn't help but feel was meant to be reassuring. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

"I'll look after your body and tail you," she said, brushing a stray lock of long, brown hair behind her ear, "give the signal when you've made the trade, I'll be ready to back you up."

"Right." Carefully schooling her face into the deep glare she'd familiarised herself with through weeks of surveillance, Ino turned away, ready to follow the path she'd found in her host-body's mind, but she was stopped before she'd taken a single step.

"In-"

Hinata cut herself off, lower lip pulled tightly between her teeth. Glancing quickly to each side, she rushed up to Ino one last time, wrapping one arm around her neck and stretching up until her lips were at her ear.

"Ino, please, stay safe."


End file.
